Green Room

Video: Bullying in the NFL — or extortion?

The NFL has issues, all right, but is bullying among them? In this CNN report over the suspension of a Miami Dolphins veteran, the allegations sound more like extortion, to the tune of $15,000 allegedly demanded from Jonathan Martin to pay for a Vegas trip on which he was not invited. Former NFL running back Jamal Anderson says that hazing happens on every level of football, but he’s never heard of anything like this:

If this is true — and it’s far from being substantiated at the moment — this isn’t really a bullying case, but something more serious.

Update: The CNN video stopped working, but the reloaded code seems to have fixed it.

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I heard that he pitched in $15,000 for the trip even though he did not want to go (not that he was not invited). Having played high school football in Texas, I can confirm that those very big linemen can display a shocking level of insensitivity — bordering on malice without realizing they are being malicious. I do not know the details, but from what I have read and heard, it seems to me that this is a case of a very insensitive dude in a locker room with a very sensitive dude. Though I may be wrong. BTW how can you trust a guy named Incognito, anyway? What is his true identity?

They don’t. Unless they put a gun to my head, I’m not giving anyone 5 dollars much less $15,000. Idiots for demanding it and idiots for paying it. As you said, these are supposed to be grown men we’re talking about.

I heard that he pitched in $15,000 for the trip even though he did not want to go (not that he was not invited). Having played high school football in Texas, I can confirm that those very big linemen can display a shocking level of insensitivity — bordering on malice without realizing they are being malicious. I do not know the details, but from what I have read and heard, it seems to me that this is a case of a very insensitive dude in a locker room with a very sensitive dude. Though I may be wrong. BTW how can you trust a guy named Incognito, anyway? What is his true identity?

tommylotto on November 4, 2013 at 12:14 PM

Incognito is an idiot. But as a former lineman this broad statement is off base. Contrary to the common notion that linemen are dumb meat heads, It has been shown in the past that D-1 NCAA lineman have higher GPA’s in their college courses than any other positions.

Incognito is an idiot. But as a former lineman this broad statement is off base. Contrary to the common notion that linemen are dumb meat heads, It has been shown in the past that D-1 NCAA lineman have higher GPA’s in their college courses than any other positions.

Are you suggesting that smart people can’t be world class jackwagons? Lookup jackwagon in the dictionary and you’ll find a picture of Ritchie Incognito. Dude is the dirtiest player in the league……….as voted by the players.

As a unit, the players on the offensive line are smarter than your average bear. Wunderlich scores at the NFL Combine prove this to be accurate.

Indeed Incognito is a Dbag Ahole, not just for this incident. He has been for a long time consistently rated as one of the dirtiest players in the league by his opponents.

But Incognito is the leader of the O-line & the other linemen likely follow this ass & have shunned Martin for not playing along. Ridiculous.

This sort of thing happened a few years ago on the Bears when asshat center Olin Kreutz (again the leader & a dirty player) broke the jaw of one of his teammates at a shooting range (I think it was a tight end). However in that case, all parties involved closed ranks and just said it was a misunderstanding.

Some of these players have major mental issues – like Incognito & Kreutz.

This is football, not tiddlywinks. Be a man and stand up for yourself.

nazo311 on November 4, 2013 at 7:24 PM

Right, and what is the guy supposed to do when he “stands up for himself” and the other players close ranks around Incognito and the owners ensure the guy is thrown off the team, maybe with his career permanently ruined, for the crime of talking back to their star player?

This dude was absolutely standing up for himself, he just did so by publicly humiliating the Dolphins instead of trying to punch out Incognito and having his career trashed. With this route, he at least has a chance to play football again.

Whether it’s fraternity or football hazing there’s one aspect of the growing hysteria I find pretty ironic.

The painful, mutilating, primitive tribal initiation rituals of tattoing and piercing seem to be peaking unquestioned as campus/athletic fashion statements at the same time as hysteria about hazing practices involving drinking, doing chores, singing silly songs, etc.

The financial extortion is pretty egregious, given that not every pro athlete has a multimillion dollar deal.